method of evaluating data relating to a common subject

ABSTRACT

A method of determining the winners of, for example, a game of skill in conjunction with a football or baseball game without the input of all the scores is provided. By the use of statistical sampling a small fraction of the remote players upload their scores to a central station via a telephone line, for example. Then, when the tentative winners are determined from this small statistical sample, the mass communications link of the system downloads the statistical curve to all of the players and only those players who are equal or better than the winning score telephone. Thus, time and money are saved for the telphone up-link. Furthermore, overcrowding of the telephone system is avoided by a proper delay given the individual remote sources.

The present invention is directed to a method of evaluating datarelating to a common subject from a plurality of remote data sources andmore particularly to sampling the remote data sources to avoid the inputof all data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As described in the Lockton, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,546, hometelevision viewers of a football game may attempt to predict, forexample, the play to be called by the quarterback and then be scored ontheir success. As suggested by the patent, the overall control of thisscoring is done by a one-way mass communications link from a centralstation; for example, it may be the SCA channel of an FM radio stationor a vertical blanking interval (VBI-Teletext) of a television programitself. Then the score is stored at the home viewer's location, whichcan be characterized a remote data source, and is uploaded to a centralstation by, for example, a telephone call.

One difficulty with the foregoing is that the uploading of allinformation to a central computer via the telephone system may overloadthe telephone exchanges, especially in large cities. Of course, the sameis true if a packet type system is used to collect data for finalcommunication with a central telephone office. This might especially beof a Superbowl football game or a World Series baseball game. Of course,one of the incentives to playing the game--even if the player may have arelatively low score--is to determine his rank or percentile standingwith regard to the remainder of the participants.

Another technique of evaluating responses to a broadcast televisionprogram is shown in the Von Kohorn U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,468 whichdiscloses the technique of competing, for example, in a television gameshow. It is also stated to be applicable to a football game. Here theviewers' scores and/or responses are recorded on a magnetic card. Thenthe card may be physically taken to some central location to receive aprize. Here again, the ranking or percentile standing of a particularplayer is not immediately known.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide animproved method of evaluating data relating to a common subject from aplurality of remote data sources.

In accordance with the above object there is provided a method ofevaluating data relating to a common subject from a plurality of remotedata sources where each source may be down-loaded information on aone-way mass communications link from a central station but must up-loadfrom each of the remote sources to a central station by a dedicated andexclusive communications up-link. The method comprises the steps ofstatistically sampling a plurality of the remote data sources, suchplurality being a small fraction of the total number of the datasources. Such sampling is accomplished by signaling the masscommunications link. Each of the data sources is responsive to thesignaling to up-load data via the dedicated and exclusive respectiveup-links to the central station. At the central station a statisticalcurve is determined related to this statistically sampled data andinformation as to such curve is down-loaded via the mass communicationslink to the remote sources. This is for use in comparing the data ofeach remote source to the statistical curve to determine an accuratepercentile standing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a system incorporating the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of a portion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the operation of FIGS.1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a communications network with a central station 10 and oneof many remote terminals or data sources 11. Associated with the remoteterminal 11 would normally be a television receiver 12 to receive, forexample, the football or baseball game on which the game might be based.Although in a description of prior art, such as in the above Lockton, etal., patent, football has been emphasized, other games could be videocomputer games and/or a quiz show; furthermore, a specialized televisionshow for purely commercial purposes,, for example, to evaluate aproposed new product of a manufacturer. Here the television viewer wouldbe asked to respond to the new product as certain features are mentionedor introduced.

In any case, in one embodiment the television receiver 12 would receivethe football game from a TV network illustrated at 13, which signal isalso received by game central 10 for purposes of timing, as described inthe Lockton, et al., patent. For example, a lockout signal wouldnormally be transmitted to the remote terminal 11 after the snap of theball in the football game to prevent late guesses as to the type of playthat was called.

Associated with the game central 10 which would normally be acomputerized office is a main data computer 14 for receiving the gamescores from several central telephone offices 16. In conjunction withthe central offices 16, the authorization computer 17 would determinewhether to accept the information in accordance with an authorizationcode which might be the remote terminal's identification number andother security checks.

Control information as to the game itself (such as the lockout signal)might be handled in the same manner as in the Lockton, et al., patentwhere a transmitter 18 provides data on a subcarrier (SCA) channel of anFM radio station or the vertical blanking interval television stationvia satellite 19. This information might be received by satellitereceiver 21 and retransmitted via RF transmitter 22 to the remoteterminals 11. After the playing of the game or the time which has beendesignated for returning responses to the central station 10, remoteterminal 11 utilizes its telephone 23 to communicate, if necessary, itsdata to game central 10. This telephone link might broadly becharacterized as an up-link which is a dedicated and exclusivecommunications channel. Naturally, it has capacity limitations and ismuch more expensive than the down-link, which is the mass communicationschannel from the transmitter 18 via the satellite 19 or just normaltelevision broadcasting antenna or FM radio antenna.

Game central 10 has its overall control determined by a programmingsource 24. As will be described in detail below for statisticallysampling the various remote terminals 11 (which might total millions), arandom identification number generator 26 is provided. Very briefly,statistical sampling is provided by generating a group of numbersrelating to the possible identification numbers of all of the remoteterminals and selecting a relatively small fraction of the total numberof remote terminals 11 or data sources which represent a random sampleor cross section. This is all in accordance with statistical samplingtheory in order to produce a valid sample of this allowable error.

A single remote terminal 11 is shown in detail in FIG. 2 and typicallyincludes a microcomputer 31 (e.g., a personal computer) which is coupledto the transmitted information via a network receiver 32 and an antenna33. As discussed above, this antenna may receive either the subcarrierof an FM radio station or the vertical blanking interval of a televisionstation or any other mass communications technique. Programmed into thenetwork terminal unique to each remote station is the identification(ID) number 34 which serves to authenticate each remote terminal and inaddition allows it to be selected for the statistical sampling as willbe discussed below. However, for this purpose other information can beused such as the user's address, phone number, etc.

Also associated with microcomputer 31 are the normal accessories such asa display unit 36, a keyboard input 37, which may be utilized for gameplaying or control purposes and in general, for the input of any othertype of survey data. A memory unit 38 is used for general microcomputerpurposes and also as indicated for storing a delay time which will beused to respond via telephone or the dedicated and exclusivecommunications up-link to the central station 10. This will be describedin greater detail in conjunction with the flow chart of FIGS. 4 and 5.With regard to this delay, a delay generator 39 is connected both tomemory 38 and microcomputer 31 to be activated by the proper signal fromthe mass communications channel which is connected to the networkreceiver 32. Network receiver 32 also controls the access to thetelephone line indicated as 41.

The flow chart of FIG. 3 applies both to the operation of the remoteterminal 11 shown in FIG. 2 and also interfaces with the operation ofgame central 10. Referring to the top of the flow chart, game central 10gives a `start game` signal. As shown by block 42, the game is playedusing the data from the central station or network. Such data in asimple situation might include merely lock-out information and scoringinformation as described in the above Lockton, et al., patent. In a morecomplex situation a computer game might be played as described in aco-pending application, Ser. No. 365,050 filed June 9, 1989, andassigned to the present assignee.

To continue with the flow chart in the block 43 the game or statisticalsurvey ends, whichever is the case, and a score or answer results. Next,in block 44 data is received from the central network or game central 10as to whether the particular remote data source 11 is in thisstatistical sample. This is executed by the block 46 which asks is thisunit or remote data source in the statistical sample? This may bedetermined, referring to FIG. 1, by a comparison of the identificationnumber of the remote source with the random identification numbergenerator generated by unit 26 at the central station. Other techniques,as outlined above, are obviously suitable.

If the remote data source or unit is in the statistical sample, then aninstruction is given at this time to send the data to the centralcomputer via the telephone up-link, for example. This is determined bythe block 49.

Alternatively, if the unit is not in a statistical sample, step 50 isgone to where the unit waits for receipt of a statistical ranking. Thisis done as soon as the central station receives the full statisticalsample sent to it in step 49. At that time a statistical curve orsimilar type of data is sent to each remote user and a display rankingoccurs on the remote terminal's display unit 36 (see FIG. 2) asindicated by step 61. Then the game or the survey (whatever is the case)is ended in step 62.

Thus, in summary, either game scores or the results of a survey aregained from a large number of remote data sources where only a smallfraction of such data sources is required to telephone or up-load theirdata. At the same time, the user at the remote source--if a gameplayer--still receives his win, loss or relative ranking. On the otherhand, if the context of the game is more market research oriented, thefact that the statistical ranking or results of the research will bedown-loaded to the consumer serves as an incentive to respond to theinitial questions.

In the case where there is a "pure" game situation where only winningscores are relevant and overall statistical results are not needed, FIG.4 illustrates a variation of the method of the present invention. Here,after the game is played as indicated in step 42 and it ends as in step43, each remote data source or unit is sent (as indicated in step 63)from the central station or network an individual delay time or a methodof generating a time delay. Such delay time may be precalculated orrandom. As illustrated in FIG. 2, it may be based on the serial numberor identification number of that particular source. In any case, allthat is important is that the delay for each of the remote data sourcesbe relatively unique so that the telephone lines to a central office (orpacket unit) are not overloaded. After the downloading from the centralstation of the individual delays in step 52, data from the centralnetwork as to tentative winners is transmitted to the remote units ordata sources.

These winners may be thought of as tentative winners since initiallywhen very few responses have been received, the leading winners willchange frequently.

Thus, perhaps initially estimated winning scores would be input from thecentral network but thereafter such tentative winners are based onprevious responses from other data sources after their time delay hasexpired.

Next, in step 53, each data source compares its score with the leadingwinner. If less, then the `no` decision route goes to step 65 which is a`wait for the winners to be announced` and thereafter the end game block66. If there is a `yes` decision, meaning that data source has a scoregreater than or equal to the leading winner, then in step 47 thequestion is asked "is the time delay completed?" If `no,` the loop isgone through again. If `yes,` then this data is sent via step 49 to thecentral computer. The winners announcement in step 65 would include thefinal list of winners.

The foregoing system, as illustrated in FIG. 4, by eliminating thestatistical survey, is believed to require even fewer telephoneconnections. This can be illustrated by the following mathematicaltreatment which assumes that each unit will telephone the centralstation sequentially.

Assume there are N devices which need to be tested for winner status,and assume that there are W winners to be determined. Assume also thatthe units are selected one at a time completely random of their score,and that there is a single monotonically increasing ranking for everyunit. The first W units to be tested will all require connection to thenetwork since there will not be a list of W current leading winnersuntil they send their scores to the central computer. The probabilitythat the W+1 unit will need to be connected to the network is thenW/w+1. The expected value of the number of units needing to be connectedis then: ##EQU1## As an example, suppose 100 winners are to bedetermined out of a group of 100,000 players. The average number ofconnections required will then be: ##EQU2## This is significantly lessthan the 100,000 connections which otherwise would have been required.

Thus, the foregoing mathematical treatment shows the significantly fewertelephone connections which are required. The same result is similarlyachieved with the use of random or precalculated individual time delays.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method which combines the statistical surveytechnique of FIG. 3 with the winner comparison technique of FIG. 4.Thus, steps 42 and 43 as to the game being played and a score resultingare the same. In step 44' data from the central network is received bothas to whether or not the particular unit is in the statistical sampleand a random delay is also given each unit. If the unit is in thestatistical sample, as shown in step 46, then this data is sent to thecentral computer via step 49 over the `yes` logic output line 48. At thesame time this information on the `yes` decision route 48 is anded withblock 47 as to whether the random delay time is completed and theinformation then is sent to the central computer.

After this statistical sample is gained, then the data from the centralnetwork determines a tentative winner's curve, as shown in step 52 and53. As discussed above, the score of the remote data source is comparedto the tentative winners' score. If it is less, then step 54 is gone tofor waiting for winners to be announced and to receive the statisticalcurve information.

If the score is greater than or equal to the leading winner, then the`yes` route of decision block 53 is taken and after the random delay isup, that data is sent to the central computer. And thereafter the gameis ended in step 55.

In summary, the foregoing method of FIG. 5 provides both a statisticalcurve and also limits the uploading of information via, for example, thetelephone line. And from a statistical point of view, according tomarket research statistics, no matter how large the universe ofparticipants, a truly random sample of, for example, 2,000 users canplace an individual's score with 95% accuracy ±2%. Thus, by theforegoing techniques using statistical sampling or in addition, ofproviding immediate feedback as to tentative winners (as shown in FIG.4), saves significant time and overloading of, for example, a telephoneexchange.

And the same technique may be used in a marketing survey as brieflydiscussed above. For example, in connection with a network newstelecast, the large viewing audience for this type of programming mightgenerate hundreds of thousands of responses. Only 2,000 are actuallyrequired to provide results with the required degree of accuracy.

From a more specific game standpoint, scoring of a baseball game forexample would generally have several categories of winners up to somefixed maximum. Categories might be established for strikeouts, home runsand stolen bases. The game players with the largest point totals inthese categories will be winners.

The available categories for each case will be kept in an event typefile. If scoring is available for an event type, the first winnercategory will always be "overall winner" (the player with the highestscore). After this scoring game specific categories may bespecified--strikeouts, etc., as discussed above.

In summary, the primary feature of the present invention is to reducethe number of telephone calls after a game or event is over.

The second feature is the ability to rank all of the players by using arelatively small number of samples of the game scores. This is done bystatistically selecting a small number of players to have their scoressent to the central computer. From these scores a statistical curve isestablished. This percentile ranking profile is then sent to all thegame units and each remote source will display the percentile ranking ofall the players.

Alternatively, the same object is achieved without statistical samplingby continuously updating the tentative winners, thus avoiding telephonecalls from game players with lower scores.

Finally, a third feature of the invention is the ability to determineaccurate and projectable market information from a large number ofremote sources. This is again done by taking a statistical sample andusing those inputs to project the responses of the larger population ofplayers. This market information could be in the form of answers tospecific questions.

Thus an improved method of evaluating data relating to a common subjectfrom a plurality of remote data sources has been provided.

What is claimed:
 1. A method of evaluating data relating to a commonsubject to a plurality of remote data sources where each source may bedown-loaded information on a one-way mass communications link from acentral station but must up-load data from each of the remote sources toa central station by a dedicated and exclusive communications up-link,said method comprising the following steps:statistically sampling aplurality of said remote data sources, said plurality being a smallfraction of the total number of said data sources by signaling said datasources via said mass communications link, said data sources beingresponsive to said signaling to up-load data via said dedicated andexclusive respective up-links to said central station; disabling saidremote data sources not part of said statistical sample from up-loadingvia said up-link; determining at said central location a statisticalcurve related to said statistically sampled data and downloadinginformation of said curve via said mass communications link to saidremote sources including said disabled sources for use in comparing thedata of said remote source to said statistical curve.
 2. A method as inclaim 1 where said common subject is a specific game of skill or changeand where each of said data sources includes at least one player of suchgame who receives one or more scores, said step of statisticallysampling being utilized to determine tentative winners of said game whohave the maximum score and including the additional stepsof:transmitting via said mass communications link to all of said datasources, data as to the tentative winners; for each data sourcecomparing the score of said tentative winner with the score of saidparticular data source; and if said compared score of said particulardata source is greater than or equal to said tentative winner's score,up-loading said data to said central station and recomputing saidtentative winners.
 3. A method as in claim 1 or 2 where data as to arandom or precalculated substantially unique delay is down-loaded fromsaid central station to each of said remote sources, each remote sourceresponding to said signaling to up-load data via said dedicated andexclusive link, if necessary, only after said respective delay.